Kanye Magistrate Court has sentenced Radibata Wadipudi (57) of Mogau ward in Moshupa to two years in prison for unlawful possession of a rough diamond after pleading guilty to the charge

The court suspended one year on condition that he would not repeat the same offence within that period.

Magistrate Venecia Moruakgomo said she took into consideration the fact that the accused pleaded guilty to the offence did not waste court’s time was first offender bread winner to his family and was remorseful. However, she said the court also valued the importance of the diamond.

According to court records, on January 31, 2015, the police and diamond squad officers received information from a reliable source that the accused was on his way from Jwaneng on a public transport proceeding to Jerusalem ward in Moshupa, where he was arrested at a nearby bus stop.

The accused was searched physically and a purse diamond tester, magnifying glass and five shining stones and a greyish one suspected to be rough diamonds were found in his possession.

The court heard that the accused was then taken to Moshupa police station where the six stones were sealed in an envelope in his presence and he later signed for it.

The suspected stones were then taken for examination at Geological Survey Forensic Laboratory in Gaborone and the greyish one proved to be a diamond while the five shining ones were confirmed to be just glasses.

On February 11, 2015, the same greyish stone was taken to diamond trading company at Gaborone for weighing and valuing. The stone weighed 6.28 carats and valued P511.20 and a certificate was issued to that affect

Inspector Ntoko Simane of Moshupa police prosecuted, while the accused appeared in person.